Generations and Generations

Okay, one of my readers -- and, believe me, she is one among a tiny band of followers -- informed me that I've been entirely too serious lately:

"Every so often you would post amusing or interesting little tidbits about your family, your childhood, and modern society. I always enjoyed them, but you don't do that anymore." 

I, of course, disagree. I'm still remarkably amusing and ever so interesting, but perhaps I haven't shared this with you as often as I should. So, I will try to soften my posts with an occasional "tidbit" to amuse or interest. 

As we come to a thankful end of 2024, I thought it might be helpful to clearly define the boundaries of the many generations we encounter today. I neither assigned the names of these generations, nor established their boundaries based on birth-years. Who makes these decisions, I do not know. To me some of the generational names seem rather odd and the dates rather arbitrary, but we must always respect the word and decision of the "experts" who continually bless the world with their wisdom. 

Here, then, is the generational breakdown offered by these experts as they divide today's population, based on years of birth:

1901 - 1927: Greatest Generation

1927 - 1945: Silent Generation

1946 - 1964: Baby Boomers

1965 - 1980: Gen X

1981 - 1996: Millennials

1997 - 2012: Gen Z

2013 - 2024: Gen Alpha

2025 - 2040: Gen Beta

Naturally, I'd known or had heard of most of these generational titles, but I find a few things troubling, or at best, questionable.

For example, my parents (both born in 1909), along with both of Dear Diane's parents, fell into the Greatest Generation. I suppose in many respects this generation could be considered great, but I'm just not sure they should be called the "greatest." Yes, they did their share of great things, especially during World War Two, but when they assumed political power after the war, they also set in motion policies that caused many of the problems facing us today. I also believe it a bit presumptuous to label anything the "greatest" while history continues to play out. After all, those Gen Beta kids just might turn out to be even greater. Then what do we do? Rename everything? Perhaps we should wait until the end of the world and let God decide who was greatest.

Because I was born in 1944, I am a member of what someone has labeled the Silent Generation. Another few years and I would have been a Baby Boomer, like Dear Diane. But that was not to be. Earlier today, when I informed my lovely wife of 56 years of my membership in this generation of silent ones, she burst out laughing. Why, I don't know. Maybe when she stops, she'll tell me. Let me check...Nope, still laughing.

All four of our children were born in the 1970s, which makes them Gen-Xers. I did not know this. In fact, I had never thought of them in generational terms. To me, they are our grown children. They look a lot like us, think somewhat like us, and act a little bit like us, but are still so wonderfully different from us. I think that is a good thing. But I still don't understand the why of the Gen X title. Perhaps someone can help.

I have never really understood the starting and stopping dates of Gen-Xers, Millennials, and Gen-Zers. I had thought I understood why the Millennials were given that title until I noticed their assigned birth years. I had assumed it applied to those born on or shortly before or after the new millennium, somewhere around the year 2000. But, no, Gen Z claims that period. Perhaps it's because many of the Millennials actually came to age with the beginning of the third millennium. 

We have no Millennials in our immediate family, since eight of our nine grandchildren are Gen-Zers born in the first decade of the 21st century. Our ninth grandchild was born in 2013, making her a Gen Alpha child. Alana, then, is unique, at least in our family.

I haven't a clue why any of these later generations were tagged with such non-descript names: Z, Alpha, and Beta...even X. Why these names? Perhaps the naming powers, who themselves remain unnamed, simply assigned these arbitrary titles as placeholders and intend to rename each generation once it makes its mark in our world, thus earning a more descriptive title. 

As for me, I will continue to maintain my low profile and live up to my membership in the Silent Generation. Then, again, maybe I'll just forget the whole thing and continue to see and love each person as an individual child of God whom He created in a unique act of divine love. I think that might be best.